Sunday Funday

Last Sunday my husband and I had three families over for a relaxing and enjoyable Sunday night dinner.  With Italian fare that was adult and kid-friendly and a group of well-behaved toddlers, the night went off with a hitch ending with a toddler dance party to Mumford & Son's and Skillet Almond Shortbread. (It's quite the combo I have to say).  I can't think of a more perfect (or adorable) way to end the weekend.

Here's what I served:

Kale Caesar Salad

I used green kale and a mixture of two store-bought Caesar dressings.  One that is creamy and the other that is more of a vinaigrette

Brussel Sprout, Caramelized Onion, and Pancetta Pizza:

Be sure to use store-bought pizza dough (like Whole Foods whole wheat version) and don't forget the lemon juice and hot chili oil at the end that really makes this pizza one-of-a-kind.

Sicialian Meatballs

The most wonderful meatballs I've ever had with a special surprise on the inside-pine nuts and currants

Chile Shrimp with Butter Beans, Capers, and Couscous
Hot and spicy yet lemony and buttery-the perfect combo for my health-conscious friends

Roasted Broccoli and Summer Squash
This simple and tasty side dish always does the trick

Skillet Almond Shortbread Cake
The most addictive cake I've ever had. I made it 4x this week for various reasons.

PC: Kale Caesar Salad: Tastingtable, Food & Wine for picture 2, 3, 5, picture 4: Simply Recipes, 6: Food Network

Skillet Almond Shortbread

It's recipes like these that make my chocolate allergy a walk in the park. Trisha Yearwood's Skillet Almond Shortbread is moist, flavorful, and has the perfect buttery shortbread flavor that's finished off with crunchy toasted almonds.  It will forever hold a special place in my heart and freezer. 

If you have a nut allergy, omit the nuts entirely, it's just as delicious.

Recipe after the jump:

Ingredients

Nonstick cooking spray

1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, melted

2 large eggs

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon almond extract ****(I use vanilla extract)

1/2 cup sliced almonds with skins

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 10-inch cast-iron skillet with aluminum foil and spray the foil with cooking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, stir 1 1/2 cups of the sugar into the melted butter. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Sift the flour and salt onto the batter. Add the flavoring and stir well. Pour the batter into the skillet. Top with sliced almonds and the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Bake until slightly brown on top, about 35 minutes. Cool the shortbread in the skillet. When cool, use the foil to lift the shortbread from the skillet; remove the foil before serving.

PC: Food Network

Recipe adapted from Georgia Cooking in an Oklahoma Kitchen by Trisha Yearwood

Greek Quinoa Salad

With a strong taste for feta, I concocted this awesome Greek Quinoa Salad that is perfect as a healthy snack or side. Pair it with a grilled chicken breast and call it spa day. 

Recipe after the jump:

Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups water

Salad:
1 red pepper, chopped
1 small red onion, chopped
1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 cup diced english cucumber
1 cup sliced black olives
feta for sprinkling

Whisk together the dressing:

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1 clove garlic, smashed and finely chopped to a paste

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Bring the quinoa, salt, and water to a boil.  Once it's boiling, cover and simmer for fifteen minutes.  In the meantime prepare the salad and dressing (separately from one another).  When the quinoa is done, remove it from the heat, fluff with a fork, and add to a separate bowl.  Allow to cool.  Once cool, add the salad ingredients and toss with the dressing.  Sprinkle with feta and enjoy!

PC: kaaltv.com
Dressing recipe: Bobby Flay

Chile Shrimp

Chile Shrimp with Butter Beans and Lemony Couscous

There's nothing I love more than a restaurant-worthy meal that is healthy, easy to make, and can be made in ten minutes flat.  My Mother-in-Law recently introduced me to Chile Shrimp with Butter Beans and Lemony Couscous and it is fantastic as a light appetizer or entree.  It has the perfect amount of spice that's balanced by a lemony couscous topped with meaty butter beans and capers.  I recently served it with a kale caesar salad and a brussel sprout, pancetta, and parmesan flatbread (which I will feature soon).

Recipe after the jump:

2/3 cup couscous 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound shelled and deveined medium shrimp
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
One 15-ounce can butter beans, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons capers
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped parsley

In a bowl, stir the couscous with 3/4 cup of boiling water. Cover with a lid and steam for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Meanwhile, in a nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add the shrimp and crushed red pepper and cook over moderately high heat until golden, 2 to 3 minutes; transfer to a plate. Add the butter to the skillet. Add the beans, capers and lemon juice and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.

Fold the bean mixture, parsley and remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil into the couscous; season with salt and pepper. Serve topped with the shrimp.
Recipe/PC: Food & Wine

Peer Pressure

Looking for a showstopper? Check out Crack Pie, the cult classic dessert crafted by James Beard-rising star chef David Chang from his famous bakery Momofuku Milk Bar in NYC. (Wow, that was a mouthful).

Now, obviously you should steer clear of anything called crack, but I swear this is actually the good kind. It's the sort of pie that makes you hate yourself for realizing how little self control you have when it comes to something so dangerously addictive.  Try it, everyone's doing it. I mean I have been for the past four nights and I'm fine. (Leftovers are killer).

I think it's my favorite pie of all time. 

Recipe after the Jump

Crack Pie

LA Times Note: Adapted from Momofuku. This pie calls for 2 (10-inch) pie tins. You can substitute 9-inch pie tins, but note that the pies will require additional baking time, about 5 minutes, due to the increased thickness of the filling. Also, for those of you who don't know, 'scant' means a little less than called for.  

Cookie for crust 

2/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon (3 ounces) flour 

Scant 1/8 teaspoon baking powder 

Scant 1/8 teaspoon baking soda 

1/4 teaspoon salt 

1/2 cup (1 stick) softened butter 

1/3 cup (2 1/2 ounces) light brown sugar 

3 tablespoons (1 1/4 ounces) sugar 

1 egg 

Scant 1 cup (3 1/2 ounces) rolled oats

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. 

2. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. 

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat the butter, brown sugar and sugar until light and fluffy. 

4. Whisk the egg into the butter mixture until fully incorporated. 

5. With the mixer running, beat in the flour mixture, a little at a time, until fully combined. Stir in the oats until incorporated. 

6. Spread the mixture onto a 9-inch-by-13-inch baking sheet and bake until golden brown and set, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to the touch on a rack. Crumble the cooled cookie to use in the crust.

Crust 

Crumbled cookie for crust 

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter 

1 1/2 tablespoons (3/4 ounce) brown sugar 

1/8 teaspoon salt

Combine the crumbled cookie, butter, brown sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse until evenly combined and blended (a little of the mixture clumped between your fingers should hold together). Divide the crust between 2 (10-inch) pie tins. Press the crust into each shell to form a thin, even layer along the bottom and sides of the tins. Set the prepared crusts aside while you prepare the filling.

Filling 

1 1/2 cups (10 1/2 ounces) sugar 

3/4 cup plus a scant 3 tablespoons (7 ounces) light brown sugar 

1/4 teaspoon salt 

1/3 cup plus 1 teaspoon (3/4 ounce) milk powder 

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted 

3/4 cup plus a scant 2 tablespoons heavy cream 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

8 egg yolks (yes, you read that right)

2 prepared crusts 

Powdered sugar, garnish

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. 

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, brown sugar, salt and milk powder. Whisk in the melted butter, then whisk in the heavy cream and vanilla. 

3. Gently whisk in the egg yolks, being careful not to add too much air. 

4. Divide the filling evenly between the 2 prepared pie shells. 5. Bake the pies, one at a time, for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 325 degrees and bake until the filling is slightly jiggly and golden brown (similar to a pecan pie), 20-25 minutes. Remove the pies and cool on a rack. 

6. Refrigerate the cooled pies until well chilled. The pies are meant to be served cold, and the filling will be gooey. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

PC: Bon Appetit, Recipe: LA Times

Mee-baw!

After one of many lunches at Potbelly's, my son Wyatt's first word was "meatball!" .  There's nothing cuter than when your kids start to talk and nothing better than when they can tell you what they want. Luckily I found a recipe on Pinterest that (almost) matches his enthusiasm with flavor.  (He's pretty enthusiastic).  They're moist, hearty, and absolutely delicious.  And I tried it with both ground turkey and beef.

Add them to your favorite spaghetti marinara or else enjoy them plain.  Recipe after the jump:

Turkey or Beef Meatballs
Yield: about 12-14 meatballs

Ingredients:
1 lb ground round or ground turkey
2 eggs beaten with a 1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 cup panko
1 small onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp oregano
1 tsp salt
freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup minced basil

Mix all of ingredients together with your hands.  Form meatballs into the size of a golf ball.  Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes or until the internal temperature registers to at least 165 degrees.

PC: Wishfulchef.com
Recipe: courtesy of Pinterest

V Day

Looking to do something romantic at home? Skip the crowds and go for this hot and spicy menu that will make you fall in love all over again.  It's so good that that it will probably earn you the 'Kitchen Goddess' moniker... which could easily lead into other pet names if you play your cards right.  

It starts with a Whipped Feta and Heirloom Tomato crostini that should be paired with a crisp, white wine.  It's followed by a Spicy Caesar Salad with bacon and red chiles in honor of V Day.  The main event is the juiciest and most flavorful Paprika Roasted Chicken cooked over crispy (duck fat) potatoes.  And the icing on the cake is the most refreshing Lemon Yogurt Pound Cake with a citrus glaze. Happy V Day!

Heirloom Tomato Crostini with Whipped Feta

(my new favorite crostini of all time)

Spicy Caesar salad with bacon
(I've made it as is and low fat with light mayo and turkey bacon and it is still amazing)

Paprika roasted chicken with potatoes

(By far the best roasted chicken I've ever made)

Lemon yogurt citrus glazed pound cake

Recipes after the Jump

Heirloom Tomato Crostini by Ina Garten:
-Makes 20 to 25 crostini; serves 6 to 8

Ingredients:
6 ounces good feta cheese, crumbled
2 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
2/3 cup good olive oil, divided
2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
kosher salt
freshly ground pepper
2 Tbsp pine nuts
2 Tbsp minced shallots (2 shallots)
2 tsp minced garlic (2 cloves)
2 Tbsp good red wine vinegar
2 pounds ripe heirloom tomatoes 1/2" diced
3 Tbsp julienned fresh basil leaves, plus extra for servings
20 to 25 (1/2" thick) diagonal baguette slices, toasted)

Directions
Active time: 15 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes

Place feta and cream cheese in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse until cheeses are mixed. Add ⅓ cup olive oil, lemon juice, ½ tsp. salt, and ¼ tsp. pepper and process until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Place pine nuts in a dry sauté pan over low heat and cook 5 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until lightly browned. Set aside.

For the tomato topping, up to an hour before serving, combine shallots, garlic, and vinegar in a medium bowl. Set aside 5 minutes to allow shallots to absorb vinegar. Whisk in remaining ⅓ cup olive oil, 1 tsp. salt, and ½ tsp. pepper. Add tomatoes, stir gently, and set aside 10 minutes. Stir in basil and taste for seasoning.

To assemble crostini, spread each baguette slice with a generous amount of whipped feta. With a slotted spoon, place tomatoes on top. Put crostini on plates and scatter with the reserved toasted pine nuts. Sprinkle with basil and serve.

Spicy Caesar Salad from Food & Wine:
Servings: 6
Prep time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
1/2 baguette, sliced 1/3" thick
1/4 cup EVOO, plus more for brushing
1/2 cup mayonnaise
4 oil-packed anchovy fillets, preferably spicy, drained and chopped
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 large garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1 tsp dijon mustard
freshly ground pepper
6 slices lean bacon (3 oz)
1 1/2 pounds romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
1 long red chile, seeded and thinly sliced crosswise
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 400°. Spread the baguette slices on a baking sheet and lightly brush both sides with olive oil. Bake for about 5 minutes, or until golden brown. Let the toasts cool, then break them into large pieces.

Meanwhile, in a mini food processor, combine the mayonnaise, anchovies, lemon juice, garlic and mustard and blend until smooth. With the processor on, slowly pour in the 1/4 cup of olive oil. Season the dressing with pepper.

In a large skillet, cook the bacon over moderate heat until browned and crisp, about 3 minutes per side. Drain and slice crosswise 1 inch thick

In a large bowl, toss the romaine with the sliced chile, croutons and the bacon. Add the dressing and toss. Sprinkle the Parmesan over the salad, toss again and serve right away.

MAKE AHEAD The dressing can be refrigerated overnight.

Paprika Roasted Chicken with Potatoes:

-recipe from dianeabroad.com adapted from lottie + doof

Servings: 2-3

Ingredients

1 chicken, around 3 pounds
1 tablespoon salt
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1/2 onion
4 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon hot Hungarian paprika
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2-2 pounds waxy potatoes (I used yukon gold) scrubbed and dried
3 tablespoons duck fat, rendered bacon fat, or oil (I used canola oil, but would have loved duck fat)
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
salt and pepper

8 hours to 3 days before you plan to cook the bird, pat it completely dry inside and out with paper towels, removing the gizzards and fat from inside the cavity if they were included. Sprinkle a little of the salt inside the cavity, along the backbone. Sprinkle the rest of the salt all over the skin. Cover loosely and refrigerate until you’re ready to roast.

Prepare the rub: finely grate 1 of the cloves of garlic and mix in a small bowl with the smoked paprika, Hungarian paprika, and olive oil.

Heat your oven to 475°F (250°C).

Remove the chicken from the fridge and stuff with the thyme sprigs, 1/2 an onion, and the 3 remaining garlic cloves, smashed with the blade of a knife or with the bottom of a heavy mug. Rub the paprika mixture all over the outside of the chicken. Truss the bird if desired, or just tie the legs together with a bit of twine.


Cut the potatoes into a 3/4″ dice. Warm the duck fat (or bacon fat or oil) in a heavy cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until the fat is melted. Add the diced potatoes, smoked paprika, and salt and pepper to taste, and toss well to coat the potatoes with the fat.

Make a well in the center of the potatoes to expose some of the cast iron (if you have enough room in your skillet to do so). Lay the chicken breast-side up in the center of the cast iron and immediately transfer to the hot oven. After 30 minutes, remove the chicken to a plate, give the potatoes a stir, flip the bird breast-side down onto the potatoes and place back into the oven. Lower the heat to 425°F (220°C). Roast for another 15-20 minutes, then flip again breast-side up. Finish roasting for 5-10 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of the thighs registers 165°F (74°C).

Remove the chicken to a plate or carving board to rest for 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile, give the potatoes another toss and return to the oven for a final crisping. Serve the potatoes hot out of the oven and the chicken carved or whole.

PCM: the Oprah magazine, Simply Recipes, Diane-A-Broad, Food & Wine